One pot quinoa dish

I want to share with you one of my favorite dishes.  It is quick, easy, nutritious, and clean.  Best part.....its versatile and delicious!!  I was introduced to quinoa (KEEN-wah) a couple years ago through Blogilates.  I quickly became obsessed!  It is so healthy and so tasty!  But sadly, I didn't know many ways to cook it.  I came across a recipe on Pinterest that sounded amazing, so I gave it a try.  I'll share that recipe with you and the recipe for our new version of cooking it.  I'll also post the calories and nutrients.

Ingredients:
1 c. organic quinoa
2 c. organic vegetable broth
2 c. organic broccoli
1 c. shredded cheese (from block)

Add broth, quinoa, and broccoli to medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

Quinoa, Amaranth, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Broth 

Once boiling, cover and simmer on low for 10-12 minutes, or until broth has been absorbed.

Simmering

Broth fully absorbed

Stir in shredded cheese.

Do not use store bought shredded cheese.
Only clean if cheese is from a block.

Fully cooked quinoa

Serve warm.  I like to sprinkle a little bit of black pepper and cayenne pepper on mine for a nice little kick.

Add a sprinkle of cheese or seasonings

This can serve 2-4 people depending on if it's a side dish or main dish.  We usually eat this as our main and only dish, so we divide it between the two of us.  Now keep in mind, serving it as two servings makes the calories fairly high due to the cheese.  If you are worried about calorie/fat count, you could easily do less cheese (we just happen to LOVE cheese).  Four servings calorie count is 285.  Two servings calorie count is 570.  It is 49% carbs, 32% fat, 19% protein.

4 servings

2 servings

 Since quinoa costs can start to add up if you use it often and we are trying to add more/different vegetables, we've started playing around with the recipe.  Our current recipe (and what is shown in the pictures) is....

Ingredients:
3/4 c. organic quinoa
1/4 c. organic amaranth
2 c. organic vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. organic cauliflower
1 c. organic broccoli
little less than 1 c. shredded cheese (from block)

Cook as described above.  Four serving calorie count is 297.  Two servings calorie count is 594.  It is 46% carbs, 35% fat, 19 % protein.

The great thing about this recipe is you can adjust it to your tastes.  You can use any vegetables you want!  Or change up the grain amounts, use less cheese, use water instead of broth.  It's all up to you!  Enjoy!!

What is your passion??

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What is your passion?  Have you found it yet?  The longer I'm on this journey to health and happiness, the more I question what I want to do.  I know I was put on this Earth to help others, but that can take so many directions.  Here's what I've considered so far....

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A surgeon.  When I was quite a bit younger (18ish), I decided I wanted to be a surgeon.  I have a knack for medical knowledge.  I've always been incredibly interested in the medical world.  I helped a few people in college and had the medical staff say I'd be great in the medicine field.  But, time slipped away and life got in the way.  Too much time passed before I went back to college.  By the time I was ready, I was too old to become a surgeon.  I mean, who wants to finally get established at 40?  Not me!  So my next decision was.....

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Nursing.  I figured this would be a great way to stay in the medical field, but not require quite as much schooling.  Besides, we all know it's the nurses who are the bad asses in the medical field. They know way more than doctors do, right?  But, I've become disillusioned with Western medicine.  It just doesn't appeal to me the way it used to.  Now, I'm still interested in medicine and helping others, just not the Western way.

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So, I've been learning about Eastern, holistic, and natural medicine.  Then, there is my interest in fitness and nutrition.  So this is where I'm stuck.  I want to make a difference in the world.  I want to inspire others to be their best self.  So do I stick with the medical aspect?  Or the health aspect?  Do I go back to school? Or start my own business?  Do I become a medical professional?  Or a health coach?

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I've been doing a lot of research...webinars with health coaches, reading ebooks and library books meditation on manifesting and soul searching.  Still clueless!  Then there is that voice in the back of my mind.  Her name is Helga (something I learned about in Wildly Alive Weight Loss).  She is the scared part of me that holds me back and criticizes me constantly.  She tells me..."Don't you have to have your own health and life together before you could help, coach, mentor anyone??"  And yeah, that scares me.  I'm still growing, learning, and bettering myself.  I'm not perfect.  I'm human.  But, wouldn't that make me more relatable?

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Recently, several of my mentors have blogged, posted, emailed about the personal struggles they are going through.  I didn't think..."Wow! Who the hell are they to tell me what to do when they are going through xyz?"  I thought..."Wow!  They are just like me!  They struggle too!  I can do this!!!"  So, I guess the point with all this is to just know there is someone out there who has been through it before.  To know they got through it, and so can you!  To see someone struggle, but still love life and find a way to deal.  I want to be that person.  I want to share my struggle with weight, health, food, love, life....and let you know that is all still ok!!  Life is wonderful, even with the struggle!!!

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So here's to my struggle to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.  Want to share the story of finding your passion....please comment away!!